1. Technical Field
This application relates generally to snow removal devices. More particularly, the invention relates to snow blowers. Specifically, the invention relates to a skid that is attached to the auger housing on the snow blower; where the skid includes sliding surface and a rolling surface that assist the auger housing to travel more easily over both snow covered regions and snow-free regions of the area being cleared, thereby making the blower easier to operate and less prone to damage during operation.
2. Background Information
A snow blower is a machine that is designed to lift snow and ice off a surface and to blow or throw the same some distance from the area that is being cleared. There are essentially two types of snow blowers. The first type is called a single-stage snow blower and this machine uses a scraper to lift snow from the surface being cleared. The lifted snow is then moved by an impeller through a discharge chute which directs snow away from the surface. The chute may be permanently fixed in a specific orientation or may be selectively directed by the operator. The second type of snow blower is a two-stage machine that also includes a metal auger that breaks up the snow or ice and cooperates with the scraper to lift the snow from the surface and draw the same into the machine, feeding it to the impeller. The impeller forces the lifted snow out of the discharge chute. A small motor drives the impeller and/or auger.
There are a number of problems that are experienced by operators of these machines. Snow blowers will typically function fairly well if the snow to be cleared is of a generally even depth. When there is a mixture of snow and ice on the surface to be cleared or if the surface includes patchy quantities of snow and ice, snow blowers can function in a less than optimum fashion. In these instances, when the snow blower moves from snow covered regions to regions with far less snow, the auger can tend to catch on the less snow-covered regions and drive portions of the scraper and auger housing into the surface. This can both damage the auger housing and scraper and can also damage the surface being cleared. This is particularly problematic if the surface being cleared is for example, stamped concrete or a surface that includes other decorative finishes. The scraping and scuffing of these surfaces can necessitate costly repairs. The damage to the snow blower can require that the auger housing, the auger and/or the scraper can need to be replaced or repaired. An additional issue with this type of situation is that the operator may temporarily lose full control of the machine as the auger bites into the surface.
It is known in the art to secure skids to the side walls of the auger housing on snow blowers to try and address this issue. An example of such a skid is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,540,102 issued to Olmr et al. This patent discloses skids that mounted on the lower, front corners of the housing side walls, close to the bottom edge thereof. The skids are adjustable so that they adequately contact the surface being cleared and control the distance between the surface being cleared and the bottom edge of the auger housing. The skids have a contoured bottom wall which enables them to slide over the surface that is to be cleared. This sliding motion in conjunction with keeping the bottom edge of the auger housing and scraper a small distance away from the surface aids in decreasing the tendency of the auger housing to bite into the surface. In this way, the skids aid in protecting ground-engaging regions of the auger housing and of the scraper from being damaged during use and also protect the surface from being damaged by the same.
Even though the above-mentioned device functions fairly well for the purposes for which it is intended, a problem still exists when the snow blower is used to clear a surface that includes areas that are essentially free of snow and ice mixed with areas that are covered with snow or ice. When these prior art devices are used on surfaces where there is patchy snow and icy conditions, when the skid contacts the concrete or asphalt surface it tends to grab and pull the machine. Not only is this tiring for the operator, but the snow blower then tends to scuff and scrape the surface being cleared. Stamped concrete surfaces are particularly vulnerable to this damage and the use of prior art devices on this type of surface can result in the need for costly, time-consuming repairs. Additionally, over time, the skids themselves are worn away or damaged by abrasion and gouging and, ultimately, the skids themselves may no longer effectively protect the auger housing and scraper from being damaged.
There is therefore a need in the art for an improved skid for a snow blower that will be less prone to being damaged as the snow blower moves between areas that are snow covered and areas that are essentially snow free.